Developer Tries Again to Replace Jersey City Heights Church with Condos

Update: As of October 3rd, this development is on the agenda for the October 4th Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting.

Months after the Jersey City Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) denied their initial application, an Essex County company will try again to bring a new development to the site of a church in The Heights.

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In a rare move in May, the ZBA voted against Montclair-based Franklin Development Group’s plans to tear down the Jesus the Healer Filipino Church at 3316 John F. Kennedy Boulevard and replace it with a five-story project called The Hudson Condominiums. As we reported at the time, the proposed development at the corner of Sherman Place in Ward D was expected to include 20 condominiums, a rooftop terrace, and a parking garage with 13 spaces.

Rendering of denied plans. Image via Councilman Yun’s Facebook.

Now, the developer’s latest plan for the site could potentially move forward. The ZBA is scheduled to hear Franklin Development Group’s new application during its meeting on October 4th, according to a legal notice. The company is still planning a five-story building and a 13-space parking garage, but instead of 20 condominiums, 14 are now on the table. Should Preliminary and Final Site Plan approval be granted, each of the units would contain two bedrooms.

City tax records show that the Jesus the Healer Filipino Church still owns the lot and that no permit applications have been filed recently for the site. The property is situated across Kennedy Boulevard from Leonard Gordon Park and there is a Citi Bike station adjacent to the premises.

12 COMMENTS

Yes a vacant church that’s only purpose in the last few years was to give drug addicts a place to shoot up…
& news flash, your idea of JC residents (not residence) is slowly diminishing and being replaced by a younger more progressive group who are supportive of a cleaner more family friendly (not to mention tax producing) neighborhood. Move to Florida old man. BYE

The mayor did the same on Bergen Ave and Clendenny. It was a Church and School and they demolished it. Now they are building a building for retail and apartments on top. They lied to the community and said we were notified.

It is pure developer greed. Why else would you choose to build such a large building in an already heavily congested district? If they’re adding thirteen parking spaces for residents, how many street parking spaces will be taken away?

Very sad dont care how is the rent so high no living place Condos for rich destroyed the house of God a place where people pray have peace a place that people visit changed we need church not Condon
Make house wher families can efort but not taking out churches

Don’t care about church vs residence, but this is one of the rate buildings in the heights with an actual lawn. It’s small, nice to look at, and that want to erect some gigantic brick monstrosity and eat up every little bit of that lot. I feel bad for the people who live in those nice houses next door that would have to live in this thing’s shadow. (No to mention the heat bubble all that pavement will create)

Why can’t developers make even a passing attempt at building something nice?

The Heights needs this. It’s currently a vacant building with no architectural value in retaining. All you fake Christians lamenting the loss of this vacant church really just don’t want the extra people living in the Heights. That’s very unchristian of you.

This building is completely out of character for the neighborhood. It will tower over every house. It also sets a bad precedent if this is approved. More of the same will be built. There goes the neighborhood. This neighborhood is not blighted. There is no reason to approve this monster.